Survey shows a switch to April timing for cleavers control

UK - February 16, 2006

Cereal growers and advisors are treating cleavers up to six weeks earlier than five years ago thanks to an increased understanding of weed biology and improved herbicides.

“April is now recognised as the best time to control cleavers in cereals for maximum yield benefit,” says Dow AgroSciences’ James Knight. “And it is being achieved in the field, with most cleavers herbicides being applied in that month.  This will protect cereal profits as cleavers start to reduce yields as early as GS 29-32.”   

The conclusions come from a national survey on cleavers carried out by Dow AgroSciences as part of their commitment to the continual monitoring and control of the highly competitive weed.  Over 1,200 farmers, covering nearly 200,000 ha of winter wheat, responded. 

The move over the past five years from late May to an April timing is due to a combination of factors. 

“There’s an increased understanding of the threat cleavers pose.  A lot of research and trials findings have been published in the past five years so growers and advisors are now a lot more clued up on when cleavers start to effect on cereal yields,” says Mr Knight. 

The development of herbicides like Starane XL (fluroxypyr + florasulam) with a wider window of application and wider weed spectrum has also contributed.

Starane 2 has been the market leader in cleavers control for nearly two decades because of its very high level of cleavers control.  Growers knew to get the best from Starane 2 it had to be applied later in the season, usually as a tank-mix with T2 fungicides, in warm, good growing conditions. 

Starane XL enables the grower to still achieve the same high level of cleavers control, but earlier in the season before the cleavers start to impact yield and quality. 

“In 2005, Starane XL and Starane 2 took nearly 65% of the spring cleavers herbicide market. For the first time Starane XL took the larger share as growers and advisors now realise it can be applied earlier in the season, controlling a wider range of weeds,” says Mr Knight. 

The survey also showed there were still some knowledge gaps on approved tank-mixes, sequences and following crop restrictions for cleavers herbicides with the new generation of grassweed herbicides.  Dow AgroSciences will be addressing these issues during its training sessions and spring communications.